Part II – Fashion tips for On Camera from WCNC TV’s Dion Lim

Last week we got the scoop from Dion on her personal style and fashion favorites, here. 

This week we pick her fashion brain on how to look your best when on camera – in today’s You Tubed, high def environment, you can bet you’ll be filmed one of these days and you can bet you’ll wish  you were prepared!

scoop:  ANY TIPS ON HOW TO DRESS TO LOOK YOUR BEST ON CAMERA? COLORS,  PRINTS, STYLE, ETC.?
Dion:  Nothing too fussy with lace, ribbons, or Lurex. Solid, bright colors look best– that’s why Oprah asks her audience members to wear jewel tones– ever notice?  If the print is too detailed or busy, the camera will fuzz out and you’ll look like a grey blob. I once got sent home for wearing this striped/zig-zag print that clashed with the American flag/President Obama background.

Oh, and please make sure your clothes fit. The old addage of the camera adding 15 pounds is too true.

scoop:  ANY MAKE UP or HAIR STYLING TIPS?   WHAT ABOUT ACCESSORIES & SHOES?
Dion:  For your Makeup:  

• Make sure that your foundation on your face matches your neck!  You’d be surprised how different the two can be.
  You should have foundations for each season, and mix them together as you go.
• Avoid The Shining.  I love MAC Blot Powder, it’s an industry favorite for mattifying yourself.  I’m also a fan on Shiseido blotting papers. My face is like an oil slick, and during one of my first internships, I clearly remember some woman, in charge of the interns, bringing over a wad of Kleenex, and pressing it to my forehead. I was mortified, but now never leave home without my blotters.
• False eyelashes are a MUST in my book. I’ve been wearing them everyday for the past 6 years and they make a world of difference. You can drop $100 a month on Latisse, or buy all the Dior voluminizing mascaras you want, but NOTHING compares to falsies. Oh, and you don’t need to buy the Shu Umera or expensive MAC ones. I buy my Ardell’s in bulk for about $1.50 each, and they last a week each.
• Work on your skin. I used to have pretty bad acne, and even the tiniest blemish shows up on a close-up. In addition to using a prescription Retinol, modern medicine’s created some of the most miraculous oral drugs to treat it. Moisturize, and use primer for a smooth canvas.

ACCESSORIES:, I’m not like most anchors who have a ba-jillion coordinating necklace and earring sets to match any outfit. I prefer the staples. A good pair of pearls, gold earrings, diamond hoops. They’ll mix and match with anything, and really cut down on time. If I’m wearing a black suit (which is rare) or grey dress, I’ll try to incorporate a bright patent belt, or some turquoise.

Shoes: Always be prepared! You never know if you’ll be trekking through muddy woods covering a story about a bear sighting…or prancing down the aisles of the supermarket for a coupon story. This is why I have sneakers, rain boots, giant Sorel Caribou boots (yeah, forget about Uggs when you’re trying to stay warm in negative 10-degree weather, covering a snowstorm) and Cole Haan Air Carmas under my desk. I have about 12 different pairs of Cole Haan air heels/sandals. They’ve got built-in Nike technology, and the only heels I can wear all day that don’t kill my feet.

Oh, and my hair? It’s a lost cause. It takes an army to make it look half acceptable…but underneath the shiny outer helmet, it’s a nest of hair powder and spray. Really, since we don’t get our hair done for us daily…can’t I just wear a wig?

scoop:  ANYTHING YOU WORE ON CAMERA THAT YOU THINK WORKED PARTICULARLY WELL ON YOU? KIND OF SURPRISED YOU?

Dion:  No, everything worked out as expected. Wait, I change my mind. I’ve had plenty of times when I wore something, and was surprised at how surprsingly BAD it was.

scoop:  OK, SO WHAT WAS YOUR WORST ON CAMERA FASHION FAUX PAS?

Dion:  Ughhh, where do I begin? Probably all the regular-sized suits I bought one size too big. When I first got into the business, I thought I was a size 2, regular. It turns out I’m a 0P or 00P. I look back at my airchecks, and cringe at the football linebacker shoulders and skirts that go past the knee. No, no, no.

I also can’t wear turtlenecks. On some people, they look great. But because my face is really round, or maybe it’s the length of my neck or SOMETHING…but turtlenecks make me look like a school marm…and besides, they make me feel like I’m suffocating. Combine that with a string of stuffy pearls…way too old for my age.

scoop:  Well, we will try to muster up some sympathy for you – with your size 2’s that were so way too big.  As we say in the south, Bless Your Heart :-).  But kidding aside, excellent advice, all of it.  A good tailor is a girl’s best friend, no matter what your size or occupation.  A good tailor will make your cheap treats look designer and your more expensive buys worth their price tag.  A good tailor will help you recycle your vintage and keep up with the endless fluctuations in weight some of us go through from wedding through menopause.  Even five pounds can make a difference as we all well know.   We are devoted to Anna’s Alterations, and visit them more often than our own relatives.

Thanks for playing Dion Lim!